Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey, Director Kenneth McCormick of the North Brunswick Police Department and Chief James Parker of the South Plainfield Police Department announced today that six massage parlors were closed and 19 individuals have been charged with participating in prostitution and/or money laundering at the establishments.
The massage parlors, four in South Plainfield and one each in Edison and North Brunswick,were shuttered during a series of raids that began on November 19, 2015 and ended on November 20, 2015,
The investigation of the massage parlors began in March 2015 by the South Plainfield Police Department. The investigation was expanded after it was determined that the massage parlors were funneling ill-gotten gains through a variety of expenses that included paying bills, financing advertisements for the businesses and paying state and municipal licensing fees.
One operator laundered more than $150,000 in illegal cash, while others spent between $25,000 and $60,000 in the money laundering scheme.
The highest bail was set at $60,000 for individuals who were charged with more serious second-degree offenses, while other bails ranged from $20,000. Some were released in their own recognizance.
The massage parlors that were closed in the raids were identified as:
*Pro Spa, 902 Oak Tree Avenue, South Plainfield
*Q Health Center, 4475 South Clinton Avenue,South Plainfield
*Oriental Wellness Center, 2201 South Clinton Avenue, South Plainfield
*New Gold Day Spa Inc., 2013 Park Avenue, South Plainfield
*Julie’s Spa, 525 Milltown Road, North Brunswick, and
*Pro Acupressure Inc., 1910 Oak Tree Road, Edison.
The individuals charged during the investigation are:
*Chunlan Cui, 51, Edison, second degree moneylaundering, third degree promoting prostitution
*Sheng Lin, 42, Edison, resisting arrest, obstruction, third degree conspiracy of money laundering
*Quan Xiang, 45, Flushing, N.Y., engaging in prostitution, a disorderly persons offense
*Ock Lee, 44, Flushing, N.Y., engaging in prostitution, a disorderly persons offense
*Ok-Soon Hyung, 50, Flushing, N.Y.; engaging in prostitution, a disorderly persons offense
*Longshi Yu, 45, South Plainfield , third degree promoting prostitution, fourth degree engaging in prostitution
*Piao Shunshan, 54, Flushing, N.Y. third degree money laundering, third degree promoting prostitution, fourth degree engaging in prostitution
*Yongri Jin, 39, Scarborough, ME, third degree money laundering
*Dan Chen, 39, Flushing, N.Y., fourth degree promoting prostitution, fourth degree maintaining a nuisance
*Mei Ling Jin, 49, Peapack, engaging in prostitution, a disorderly persons offense
*Ling Zhang, 44, Flushing, N.Y., engaging in prostitution, a disorderly persons offense
*Ge Yu Qi, 43, Flushing, N.Y .fourth degree promoting prostitution, fourth degree maintaining a nuisance, engaging in prostitution, a disorderly persons offense
*Xiao Liang Huang, 38, Flushing, N.Y., engaging in prostitution, a disorderly persons offense
*Chun Mei Zhou, 37, Queens, N.Y., fourth degree promoting prostitution. Fourth degree maintaining a nuisance
*Paul Turpanjian, 53, Ridgefield, third degree money laundering, third degree promoting prostitution
*Lianying Ji, 53, West Orange, third degree money laundering
*Marc Daichman, 60, West Orange, third degree promoting prostitution
*Xiao Fei Li, 50, College Point, N.Y., third degree money laundering, third degree promotingprostitution, and
*Bongkyu S Jung, 50, Cliffside Park, second degree money laundering, third degree promoting prostitution.
The investigation is active and is continuing.
Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Powell of the North Brunswick Police Department at (732) 247-0922; Detective Indano of the South Plainfield Police Department at (908) 755-0700, or Detective Tight of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-3300.